Starting pitcher CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees has been voted American League Pitcher of the Month for July.

Sabathia compiled a 4-1 record with a 0.92 ERA, 50 strikeouts, 13 walks, two complete games and one shutout in 39.0 innings pitched over five starts on his way to winning his second career A.L. Pitcher of the Month Award (previously accomplished in August 2009). The Yankees ace topped all of baseball in strikeouts and ERA, with opponents batting a Major League-low .140 against the hard-throwing lefty. On July 5th at Progressive Field in Cleveland, the 31-year-old scattered five hits and struck out 11 over seven shutout innings to help lead the Yankees to a 9-2 victory over the Indians. It was the second straight start that Sabathia reached double-digits in strikeouts, having fanned 13 batters against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 30th. The 2007 A.L. Cy Young Award winner was just as effective in his next start against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 10th, matching opposing starter James Shields pitch- for-pitch for nine innings en route to a 1-0 Yankee triumph. Sabathia limited the Rays to just four hits while striking out nine for his first shutout of the season, his second overall since donning the pinstripes for the 2009 season. On July 16th against the Toronto Blue Jays, the California native continued his dominant run, surrendering just one run on three hits with eight strikeouts over eight innings as the Yanks topped the Jays, 4-1, at the Rogers Centre. The first-inning run by the Blue Jays was the first allowed by Sabathia in a career-best 24.0 innings, representing the longest scoreless streak by a Yankee hurler since Tom Underwood recorded 24.2 scoreless frames during the 1980 season. In his next turn on July 26th, the five-time All-Star struck out 11 of the first 16 hitters he faced, including seven straight at one point, on his way to a career-high 14 strikeouts as the Yankees defeated the Mariners, 4-1, at Yankee Stadium. Over his last 15 starts since May 19th, the 20th overall pick in the 1998 First-Year Player Draft has notched a 13-2 record with a 2.08 ERA, 112 strikeouts and 24 walks, and he has gone at least 7.0 innings in 14 of those appearances. Sabathia currently leads the Majors with 16 wins and is tied for first overall with 24 starts. Among A.L. leaders, the 11-year veteran is second in innings pitched (176.2) and is tied for second in strikeouts (162).